Grow Mediums Black dirt

[Pieyeguy420]

So I posed this question on facebook... and of course everyone is better than everyone on there and no one has an open mind. So I move it to here.

I'm surrounded by farms. Nice black fertile dirt. Everywhere. Down the road is a well established food grade organic farming. He grows soy beans and corn. Why not use some of his dirtime? To have an organic cert your soil needs tested regularly, as does your finish produce. So what's wrong with it... yes it gets muddy when wet. Take the mulch out of potting soil and it's not much different. So I went and got some. I walked a shelter belt at his place too and picked up various organics to put into the soil to use as aeration and hopefully not get as much mud. I also screened it all to make sure I wasn't getting anything other than dirt. I'm gonna let it set for a few days while I have a couple seeds germinating. I did not do this to be cheap. The time spent walking gathering and sifting it all justify the cost of soil, I just want to see if there's a difference. I understand there's a lot of variables bringing in outdoor soil. But it is living soil. I've spent a few seasons with him preparing his fields and know that his joy is organics. So I'm not terribly worried. Fingers crossed my experiment works. I have pics. As soon as I get them transferred I will post them. Keep your negativity to your self please

 

[Pieyeguy420]

Heres the pics from the process. I found rotten wood that would crumble in my hands. After i broke it all up i checked it all for bugs and larve

 

[Olderfart]

Good luck. My lips are zipped, as you requested.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

So I posed this question on facebook... and of course everyone is better than everyone on there and no one has an open mind. So I move it to here.

I'm surrounded by farms. Nice black fertile dirt. Everywhere. Down the road is a well established food grade organic farming. He grows soy beans and corn. Why not use some of his dirtime? To have an organic cert your soil needs tested regularly, as does your finish produce. So what's wrong with it... yes it gets muddy when wet. Take the mulch out of potting soil and it's not much different. So I went and got some. I walked a shelter belt at his place too and picked up various organics to put into the soil to use as aeration and hopefully not get as much mud. I also screened it all to make sure I wasn't getting anything other than dirt. I'm gonna let it set for a few days while I have a couple seeds germinating. I did not do this to be cheap. The time spent walking gathering and sifting it all justify the cost of soil, I just want to see if there's a difference. I understand there's a lot of variables bringing in outdoor soil. But it is living soil. I've spent a few seasons with him preparing his fields and know that his joy is organics. So I'm not terribly worried. Fingers crossed my experiment works. I have pics. As soon as I get them transferred I will post them. Keep your negativity to your self please

Hi @Pieyeguy420 Welcome to AFN I have been doing organic growing since before it became a thing. I have worked on farms, green houses and had my own truck farm and roadside stand almost 45 years ago now. Any how IMPO you do not need to do anything other than retrieve the top 6" of the organic farm soil put it in a 7 gallon pot, plant a seed and water when needed. After you grow a beautiful plant, you take 20% of your harvest to the farmer along with the 7 gallon pot of soil and recycle it and start over. Win Win.

As for what you are doing is kind of like starting an organic soil with high carbon content (wood). The microbial activity will be concentrating on breaking down the carbon instead of making nutrients for the plant. This soil stage is usually left fallow for 6 months to a year. A cover crop is then planted and when tilled in with organic amendments based on an analysis or proven formula. Organic amendments continue forever after that. Along with careful crop rotation.

Now will it work maybe. You just have to move forward to know.

 

[Pieyeguy420]

Thanks for the reply. I have some more dirt i haven't really sifted for critters yet. If i read your reply correct i dont really need to worry about something like perlite or anything? Thats kinda where i was going with the broken down wood. And id gladly bring him some of the harvest except he is a anti smoker lol. Maybe ill slip him a batch of brownies haha. Its a unknown bag seed anyway so if my experiment goes south at least im not out anything. Gaining knowledge sometimes is worth more than anything.

 

[Pieyeguy420]

I accept constructive criticism. And welcome challenges to my thought process. As long as no one is a dick about it. I welcome it so i can broaden my mind. My problem with the shits on fb was the typical... No its not gonna work with out giving me something to think about. Or if you cant afford dirt you shouldnt be growing. Or thats just a stupid idea. But if you have a point that i may not have thought about please let me know. Big difference between being totally negative and constructive about things.

 

[BII]

I think the "rotten wood that would crumble in my hands" is desirable, with many commercial soils containing primarily 'forest products.' Wood chips are a natural part of many healthy soils. If the wood chips in your soil are like those in BioBizz Light soil (only soil I have experience with), these crushable pieces of wood seem well suited for growing -- fluffy, full of air, the fibers also holding water, more fibers being exposed as breaks down (more/fresh surface area), etc. If not already, I suggest keeping, not screening out, the smaller pieces.

 

[Pieyeguy420]

I think the "rotten wood that would crumble in my hands" is desirable, with many commercial soils containing primarily 'forest products.' Wood chips are a natural part of many healthy soils. If the wood chips in your soil are like those in BioBizz Light soil (only soil I have experience with), these crushable pieces of wood seem well suited for growing -- fluffy, full of air, the fibers also holding water, more fibers being exposed as breaks down (more/fresh surface area), etc. If not already, I suggest keeping, not screening out, the smaller pieces.

i screened it all down and saved all the organic stuff except the 2 bugs i found. I was hoping to find some worms as i know this guy has them everywhere. But we have already had snow so im sure they are all deep for the winter. Hopefully ill be ordering worms for myself after the new year.

 

[IronGiant]

Thanks for the reply. I have some more dirt i haven't really sifted for critters yet. If i read your reply correct i dont really need to worry about something like perlite or anything? Thats kinda where i was going with the broken down wood. And id gladly bring him some of the harvest except he is a anti smoker lol. Maybe ill slip him a batch of brownies haha. Its a unknown bag seed anyway so if my experiment goes south at least im not out anything. Gaining knowledge sometimes is worth more than anything.

I would have thought you would need to add something to stop the soil from becoming too compacted.
Dr Bruce Bugbee recommends adding vermiculite as it releases silica.

 

[Olderfart]

I accept constructive criticism. And welcome challenges to my thought process. As long as no one is a dick about it. I welcome it so i can broaden my mind. My problem with the shits on fb was the typical... No its not gonna work with out giving me something to think about. Or if you cant afford dirt you shouldnt be growing. Or thats just a stupid idea. But if you have a point that i may not have thought about please let me know. Big difference between being totally negative and constructive about things.

My zipped lips were because you seemed uninterested in contrary experience. Anyway, the only thing I have to add to your plans is that I tried something similar, and it went down in flames due to infestation with gnats. I used both Bti and diatomaceous earth, but I failed to control the buggers, and they ruined or stunted everything I planted. I gave up for this grow, and have gone to Sunshine #4 plus extra perlite.

I would like to do a KISS grow with just water, but it will now have to wait until next winter as I am no longer willing to bring in outdoor soil, and I do not have enough time to cook some indoor stuff.

Good luck with your grow, I hope it works out well for you.